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In the seventh Destroyerman book, alt-World War II is raging.


Iron Gray Sea

Roc, 2012, 448 pages



In Taylor Anderson's acclaimed Destroyermen series, a parallel universe adds an extraordinary layer to the drama of World War II. Now, Lieutenant Commander Matthew Reddy, the crew of the USS Walker, and their allies battle an ever-growing host of enemies across the globe in a desperate battle for freedom.

War has engulfed the other earth. With every hard-won victory and painful defeat, Matt Reddy and the Allies encounter more friends-and even more diabolical enemies. Even, at last, in the arms of the woman he loves, there is little peace for Reddy. The vast sea, and the scope of the conflict, have trapped him too far away to help on either front, but that doesn't mean he and Walker can rest. Cutting short his "honeymoon," Reddy sails off in pursuit of Hidoiame, a rogue Japanese destroyer that is wreaking havoc in Allied seas. Now that Walker is armed with the latest "new" technology, he hopes his battle-tested four-stacker has an even chance in a straight-up fight against the bigger ship - and he means to take her on.

Elsewhere, the long-awaited invasion of Grik "Indiaa" has begun, and the Human-Lemurian Alliance is pushing back against the twisted might of the Dominion. The diplomatic waters seethe with treachery and a final, terrible plot explodes in the Empire of New Britain Isles. Worse, the savage Grik have also mastered "new" technologies and strategies. Their fleet of monstrous ironclads - and an army two years in the making-are finally massing to strike.


A slow grinding war gets a slow grinding series. )

Also by Taylor Anderson: My reviews of Into the Storm, Crusade, Maelstrom, Distant Thunders, Rising Tides, and Firestorm.




My complete list of book reviews.
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Book six in the Destroyermen series.


Firestorm

Ace, 2011, 422 pages



Lieutenant Commander Matthew Reddy and the crew of the USS Walker find themselves caught between the nation they swore to defend and the allies they promised to protect. For even as the Allies and the Empire of New Britain Isles stand united against the attacks of both the savage Grik and the tenacious Japanese, the "Holy Dominion" - a warped mixture of human cultures whose lust for power overshadows even the Grik - is threatening to destroy them both with a devastating weapon neither can withstand.


The war is getting bigger, everyone's climbing the tech tree. )

Also by Taylor Anderson: My reviews of Into the Storm, Crusade, Maelstrom, Distant Thunders, and Rising Tides.




My complete list of book reviews.
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Destroyermen #5: "Good" Grik and Blood-Drinking Catholics.


Rising Rides

Roc, 2011, 433 pages



Stuck in an alternate universe during World War II, Lieutenant Commander Matthew Reddy of the U.S.S. Walker has found an unlikely but invaluable ally in Commodore Jenks of the New Britain Imperial Navy. And now they are united in their desire to hunt down the traitor who abducted two women both men would die to protect: Reddy's love, nurse Sandra Tucker, and young Princess Rebecca of the New British Empire. But first they have a new battle to win.

However, this battle will not be fought with broadsides and broadswords, but with cunning and intrigue. For when Reddy and Jenks report the situation to the New Britain Company, they are met with scorn and disbelief. It soon becomes obvious that the ruthless Company is attempting to overthrow the Imperial Throne - and that someone involved knows where Sandra and Rebecca are. From the halls of power to the ballrooms of the nobility, Reddy must navigate through a tempest of politics, deception, and betrayal if he is ever going to save the hostages and live to fight another day.


The alternate Earth series continues with action split between volcanic eruptions and the nefarious Dominion. )

Also by Taylor Anderson: My reviews of Into the Storm, Crusade, Maelstrom, and Distant Thunders.




My complete list of book reviews.
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The fourth book in the Destroyermen series.


Distant Thunders

Roc, 2010, 416 pages



After the battle in which the men of the destroyer Walker and their Lemurian allies repelled the savage Grik, Lieutenant Commander Matthew Reddy is shocked by the arrival of a strange ship captained by one Commander Jenks of the New Britain Imperial Navy - an island-nation populated by the descendants of British East Indiamen swept through the rift centuries before.

With the Walker undergoing repairs, Reddy already has a great deal on his hands. For the Grik will return, and Reddy will need all hands on deck to fight them off when they next attack. But Jenks's uncertain loyalties make Reddy question whether he can trust the man. As tension between the Allies and the Imperials mount, Reddy will come to realize that his suspicions are not misplaced - and that a greater danger than the Grik is closer than he ever suspected.


Only 11 books to go... )

Also by Taylor Anderson: My reviews of Into the Storm, Crusade, and Maelstrom.




My complete list of book reviews.
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The third book in the Destroyermen series continues the alt-Earth war.


Maelstrom

Roc, 2009, 400 pages



Lieutenant Commander Matthew Reddy, along with the men and women of the U.S.S. Walker, are once again at war. Having sided with the peaceful Lemurians against the savage, reptilian Grik, they now find themselves scrambling to prepare for the attack that is sure to come, searching for resources to support their forces - even as they look for allies to join their struggle.

Meanwhile, the Japanese juggernaut Amagi, also trapped in this strange world, is under Grik control---with her fanatical commander approaching madness. And soon they will have amassed a force that no amount of firepower and technology will be able to stop.As the raging conflict approaches, Reddy, his crew, his allies, and his loved ones face annihilation. But if there is one thing they have learned about their new world, it is that hope - and help - may be just over the horizon.


Still a swashbuckler of a book, but three books in and the war has barely begun. )




Also by Taylor Anderson: My reviews of Into the Storm and Crusade.

My complete list of book reviews.
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It's Midway, Aubrey-Maturin, and Battlestar Galactica put together.


Crusade

Roc, 2008, 400 pages



Lieutenant Commander Matthew Reddy, along with the men and women of the USS Walker, have chosen sides in a war not of their making. They have allied with the Lemurians - a mammalian race whose peaceful existence is under attack from the warlike, reptilian Grik.

The Lemurians are vastly outnumbered and ignorant of warfare, and even the guns and technology of Walker cannot turn the tide of battle. Luckily, they are not alone. Reddy finally finds Mahan, the other destroyer that passed through the rift. Together, the two American ships will teach the Lemurians to fight and stand against the bloodthirsty Grik - or so they think.

For there is another vessel that does not belong on these strange seas - the massive Japanese battle cruiser Amagi, the very ship that Walker was fleeing from when the rift took them. Like Mahan, it followed them through. And now Amagi is in the hands of the Grik.


The second book is even better, though it looks like it's going to be a long haul. )

Verdict: Better than the first book, Crusade made me a fan of this series. I know it's already become one of those series that goes on and on, so I hope it doesn't disappoint me in future volumes. Nothing more than a well-researched naval adventure/war story, I still enjoyed the heck out of this book. 9/10.

Also by Taylor Anderson: My review of Into the Storm.




My complete list of book reviews.
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A World War II destroyer is trapped on an alternate Earth, in a war between evolved lemurs and dinosaurs.


Into the Storm

Roc, 2008, 400 pages



Pressed into service when World War II breaks out in the Pacific, the USS Walker---a Great-War vintage "four-stacker" destroyer---finds itself in full retreat from pursuit by Japanese battleships. Its captain, Lieutenant Commander Matthew Patrick Reddy, knows that he and his crew are in dire straits. In desperation, he heads Walker into a squall, hoping it will give them cover---and emerges somewhere else.

Familiar landmarks appear, but the water teems with monstrous, vicious fish. And there appear to be dinosaurs grazing on the plains of Bali. Gradually Matt and his crew must accept the fact that they are in an alternate world---and they are not alone. Humans have not evolved, but two other species have. And they are at war.

With its steam power and weaponry, the Walker's very existence could alter the balance of power. And for Matt and his crew, who have the means to turn a primitive war into a genocidal Armageddon, one thing becomes clear: They must decide whose side they're on. Because whoever they choose to side with is the winner.


A war story suitable for Weird Tales, and it would make a pretty good setting for a RPG. )

Verdict: All the fun is in the concept — Into the Storm is basically a space opera without the space. The saga of the USS Walker begins here in what looks like one of those series that goes on and on — nonetheless, the first book is all action with minimal worldbuilding, and enough fun for me to read the second.




My complete list of book reviews.

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